Hitchin Town Football Club

Hitchin Town 4 Beaconsfield SYCOB 0

Saturday, February 12 2011

The scoreline looked good, but the Canaries were rarely at their best against a struggling Beaconsfield SYCOB side.

But for a late flurry, and two goals in the final seven minutes, Hitchin looked to be heading for a lack-lustre and untidy win. Not for the first time this season, the Canaries’ fitness shone through and the two-goal finish sent John Frendo into his five game suspension on a high.

Hitchin will miss the clinical – and spectacular - finishing of their front-man, but at least they have Jamie Arlick and Zak Burke to fill the front line.

Arlick may not be firing as prolifically as last season, but he showed glimpses of the firepower that won him some impressive objet d'art as top scorer in the league.

In fact, he almost opened the scoring after just 40 seconds  when his shot struck the crossbar. He hit the woodwork again in the 13th minute, but Dean Gilbert was on hand to score from the rebound to put Hitchin ahead.

Hitchin’s second came in the 29th minute from the penalty spot. Frendo was upended just inside the area and Tony Fontenelle netted confidently with his spot kick.

A third goal almost arrived just before half-time, and if it had found the net, it would have raised the roof at Top Field. Tom Pepper’s cross to the middle was met by an acrobatic overhead kick by Frendo, but the ball was just inches wide.

Hitchin struggled to get going in the second half, although Burke went close after dashing wide and shooting just past the post.

Beaconsfield almost pulled a goal back after 63 minutes when Aaron McLeish tried to hook the ball home but was denied by Martin Bennett. The Canaries’ custodian also had to stop a point blank effort from Richard Shittu.

But with the game reaching its climax, Hitchin came good again. There was ahint of it when Callum Donnelly’s cross was headed wide by Frendo and then in the 83rd minute, the third goal came. Burke, receiving a pass from Louis Lee, crossed to the far post and Frendo brought the ball under control and sent it into the roof the net.

Frendo struck again in the 87th minute, but this time all he had to do was follow the ball into the net after Donnelly rolled his pass across goal.

Frendo almost grabbed his hat-trick in the final minute when he hit the post, but a two-goal haul was a good way to go into cold storage for a month!

Statistics
Hitchin Town (2)4 Beaconsfield SYCOB (0)0
Gilbert 13
Fontenelle (pen) 29
Frendo 83, 87

Attendance: 362
Referee: S.M. Pawley

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